D -- Proprietary Software Maintenance

The General Services Administration plans to award a sole-source contract to Visual Numerics, Inc. for proprietary software maintenance services supporting the Engineer Research and Development Center located in Vicksburg, Mississippi. This procurement is authorized under FAR 6.302-1, which allows for non-competitive proposals when only one responsible source is available to meet the government’s needs. The contract references solicitation number 4THG96049282 and incorporates provisions and clauses current through Federal Acquisition Circular 97-14. The agency emphasizes that this notice is not a solicitation for competitive proposals but an opportunity for interested parties to express their interest and capabilities by the deadline of September 26, 2003. Responses will be reviewed solely to determine whether a competitive procurement should be pursued, with the government reserving the right to proceed without competition. The contracting office handling this action is the General Services Administration FaS Region 4, based in Atlanta, Georgia. Interested vendors must submit inquiries exclusively via email to the specified GSA contact. The contract is focused on maintaining proprietary software integral to the government's engineering research operations, highlighting the unique capability and responsibility held by Visual Numerics, Inc. This procurement reflects the agency's intent to streamline acquisition through a sole-source award to a provider that uniquely satisfies the technical and operational requirements of the Engineer Research and Development Center.